A Sun Blog

A collection of news, views, links, anything and everything

There’s a new face at the helm of the University of Florida’s cross country program. Chris Solinsky, a former distance runner and NCAA Division I champion, has joined the Gators as an assistant for the program’s track and field and cross country programs, UF coach Mike Holloway announced Thursday. “Chris obviously made a name for himself as a runner, but what he’s done as a young coach is impressive as well,” Holloway said in a release. “He’s a fiery competitor,… Read More »

The University of Florida athletics program ranked third nationally in 2015-16 with a $20.1 million surplus, a USA Today database release revealed. The Gators athletics program generated $141.million in total revenue, the eight most in the nation, while having expenses of just $121.3 million. Texas A&M (1), Alabama (4) and LSU (7) finished ahead of Florida in total revenue, with the Aggies also having the nation’s largest surplus ($57 million). Every SEC program that reported revenues and expenses (Vanderbilt is… Read More »

Tim Tebow’s baseball career appears to be far from over. The former Heisman Trophy winner is being promoted from the Columbia Fireflies to the St. Lucie Metss of the Advanced A League, the New York Mets announced. Tebow, 29, hit .222 with the Fireflies, with the three home runs, 23 RBIs and a .311 on-base percentage. He announced last summer his intentions to attempt a career in baseball, and Tebow notably homered in his first minor league at-bat. Here's the… Read More »

With the off-season in full swing, the Gators want fans to continue showing their pride and support for the program. And what better way than through a Gator chomp? Gators legend Steve Spurrier, also known as “Head Ball Coach”, is helping Florida lead a campaign to recognize Gator fans across the world. Fans who post a video or picture to Twitter or Instagram with the “#WeChomp” hashtag and their tagged location will have their post pinned to ChompStories.com, Spurrier explained… Read More »

It’s been more than 50 years since NBA legend Rick Barry was selected with the No. 2 pick by the San Francisco Warriors. And with the NBA Draft on Thursday, the Warriors have decided to evaluate the former eight-time NBA All-Star’s son. Former Gators guard Canyon Barry will workout Tuesday with the Golden State Warriors, the Gainesville Sun has learned. Projected to go undrafted or be taken late in the second round, Barry, 23, has already worked out with the… Read More »

RatPak’s 7v7 roster is once again loaded with many highly recruited college football prospects. The roster includes many highly recruited athletes across the 2018, 2019 and 2020 classes, including Jamien Sherwood, David Reese, John Huggins, Avantae Williams, Donnovan Moorer, and many more. Five players from the IMG Academy in Bradenton compete on RatPak, and more than 10 prospects hold double-digit scholarship offers. But according to RatPak’s head coach, seven-year NFL veteran and former Gator standout Keiwan Ratliff, the team won’t… Read More »

The New York Knicks are working out former Gators guard Canyon Barry today, sources confirmed to the Gainesville Sun. The son of NBA legend Rick Barry, Canyon was named the 2017 SEC Sixth Man of the Year. He finished 2nd on the team in scoring despite coming off the bench in all but one game. Hall-of-Famer Rick Barry swears by its accuracy, but NBA players hardly ever use it. https://t.co/cvv8pehVRx — NPR (@NPR) May 29, 2017 After transferring to Florida… Read More »

The SEC spring meetings commence Tuesday in Destin, Florida, giving the university presidents, athletics directors, basketball and football coaches from the 14 schools an opportunity to discuss policies for the 2017-18 season. This year more than any other, however, Gators fans should pay close attention to the four-day conference. These three potential topics for discussion could affect Florida’s roster and Ben Hill Griffin Stadium next season. 1. The graduate transfer policy The Gators are reportedly at the top of the list… Read More »

Former Gators defensive back Matt Elam is an NFL free agent, but his hopes of signing with an NFL team for the 2018 season are in jeopardy once again. Elam, 25, was charged with grand theft and battery in Delray Beach at 8:48 a.m. on Monday, according to Palm Beach County records. Elam is currently being held on $4,500 bond. Matt Elam Arrested Again For Battery And Grand Theft https://t.co/fQVyflCn2D — TMZ (@TMZ) May 22, 2017 It’s Elam’s second arrest… Read More »

The 2017 Professional Basketball Combine, not to be confused with the NBA Combine, kicked off Tuesday at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. The combine is for prospects on the cusp of getting drafted in June, and it gives NBA teams an opportunity to further evaluate the incoming talent. 15 NBA teams were in attendance to evaluate 22 prospects, including two recent Gators in forward Justin Leon and guard Canyon Barry. @cbarry719 with the POSTER! pic.twitter.com/ePc2uwmlys — Pro Bball Combine (@ProBBallCombine) May… Read More »

About This Blog

From sports editors to beat writers to correspondents, this blog features contributions from the entire Gatorsports and Gainesville Sun sports departments. Check us out every day, as From The Sports Desk plans to pick up all the stories, blogs, photos, videos and tweets that you need to see.